Writers need to guard against making unhealthy comparisons to other authors As writers we read the work of others, we look at their books, and we notice their successes. Though this happens in any profession, writing is a more public endeavor, so making comparisons is harder to avoid. Yet we should strive to sidestep assessing […]
Category: Writing and Publishing
Writing and publishing articles by author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Write for your audience, and don’t try to impress others with your skill I recently read a nonfiction book. My assessment was that the author wrote to impress more than to educate. Though I did learn from her words, I’d have gained much more had she gotten out of the way and put me, the […]
To make progress in their work, writers must have a plan to move their writing towards completion When I write, I always have a goal. Without an objective to strive for, I wouldn’t write too much, if at all. I’m sure I’d spend more time thinking about writing than actually writing. The biggest byproduct would […]
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A Salute to Print Books
On The Media discusses books in their March 11 podcast The March 11 episode of On The Media, titled “Print is Back, Back Again” shares an array of interesting segments on books. It’s too good not to share. Here are the topics covered: These segments give those who read books and write books and publish […]
Real writers make a commitment to write, and that requires sacrifice Though I sometimes talk about when I write and how much, I’m always reluctant to do so. Writing is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. We are individuals with different family situations, who are at different life stages and have different levels of obligations. What works […]
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How to Build a Fan Base
Every writer needs avid supporters to help get the word out about his or her books When it comes to marketing our book we need a group of loyal followers. They are apt to buy our books and will be excited to tell others about them. We need a platform. Most writers cringe at the […]
Following every suggestion from the wrong editor leads to wrong results In my work as a magazine publisher I learned early on that I needed an editor. After a couple of issues with embarrassing mistakes, I realized I would never catch all the errors myself. I hired someone to edit the articles before the printing […]
By following these four simple steps writers should always be ready to write A common complaint among writers is not knowing what to write. With a dearth of ideas they procrastinate, wasting time at the keyboard or even failing to sit down. They wait for inspiration or need a looming deadline to motivate them. And […]
Self-Published Author and Business Attorney Writes Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook Helen Sedwick, a self-published author and business attorney, shares vital legal information for all writers whether self-published, traditionally published, or not-yet-published. Billed as “the step-by-step guide to protecting your copyright, avoiding scams and lawsuits, [and] maximizing tax deductions” Legal Handbook answers questions that most authors struggle […]
Learn to capitalize on creative vision whenever and wherever it occurs Last week we talked about why we shouldn’t wait for inspiration in order to write. But that doesn’t mean we always work in the absence of creative vision. Sometimes inspiration hits and promises to propel our words forward. When this happens, we must make […]